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REQUIREMENTS 

FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF 

HIGH SCHOOLS 

AND REGULATIONS FOR 

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS 

IN WEST VIRGINIA. Jt*^ 




PREPARED BY 

L. L. FRIEND, STATE SUPERVISOR OF HIGH SCHOOLS 

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 

GEORGE M. FORD. STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 



CHARLESTON 
1921 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


NOV 251921 


OOCUM^|\Tw U.v.SION 






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REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH 

SCHOOLS. 

In 1911 the law providing for the classification of high schools was 
first enacted. This law has been amended in a few minor particulars 
at subsequent sessions of the legislature, but it remains substantially 
as it was first enacted. It prescribes certain general requirements 
for classification and authorizes the State superintendent of Schools to 
classify the high schools of the state in accordance therewith. This act 
as amended by Chapter Two of the Acts of 1919 is found in section 
eight}'-two of the school law. 

In order to carry out the provisions of this law and to accomplish the 
purposes for which it was enacted, the State Board of Education has 
prescribed certain rules and regulations relating to the qualifications 
of high school teachers, the equipment of laboratories and libraries 
and standards of high school instruction. The purpose of this bulletin 
is to give for the convenience of school superintendents, high school 
principals and boards of education complete information concerning 
the requirements that must be met by high schools applying for 
classification and state aid. 

CLASSES OF HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Three classes of high schools are created by the classification law, — 
first-class, or four-year high schools : second-class, or three-year high 
schools ; and third-class, or two-year high schools. The requirements 
for each class are explained in the following paragraphs: 

LENGTH OF TERM. 

The minimum school term in all classified high schools shall be 
thirty-six weeks. 

LENGTH OF PERIODS. 

All class periods must be at least forty-five minutes in length. Lab- 
oratory periods must be ninety minutes. Where supervised study 
is employed, class periods should be at least sixty minutes. 

ENROLLMENT 

No minimum enrollment has been established for classified high 
schools. It will be the policy of the State Superintendent of Schools 
hereafter, however, not to accord first-class rank to high schools hav- 
ing an enrollment of fewer than forty pupils unless there are specially 
strong reasons for doing so. 

TEACHERS. 

In high schools of the first class not fewer than three teachers must 
be employed who give full time to high school instruction. The prin- 
cipal may be included as one of the minimum number of teachers re- 



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quired if he teaches as many as four classes; otherwise three full- 
time teachers must be employed besides the principal. Two-thirds 
of the teachers employed in high schools of the first class must be 
graduates of standard colleges or universities. Other teachers em- 
ployed in high schools of this class must have completed at least 
two full years of work of college grade. 

In high schools of the second class not fewer than two teachers 
must be employed full time in high school instruction. At least one 
of these teachers must be a graduate of a standard college or university 
Other teachers employed in high schools of this class must have com- 
pleted at least two years of work of college grade. 

In high schools of the third class at least one teacher must be em- 
ployed full time in the teaching of high school subjects. Teachers 
employed in high schools of the third class must have completed at 
least two years of work of college grade. 

CERTIFICATES 

All high school principals and teachers must hold West Virginia 
teachers' certificates valid in high schools (School Law, section 96). 
Until June 30, 1922, the following certificates are valid in high 
schools : 

1. First grade elementary certificates (school law, section 104). 
\^. Normal school certificates (school law, section 104)) 

3. High school certificates (school law, section 105). 

4. Supervisors' certificates (school law, section 106). 

5. Special certificates for teachers of such subjects as music, manual 
training, home economics and commercial branches (school law, section 
108). 



On and after the first day of July, 1922, all high school teachers 
will be required to hold high school certificates. 

Full information concerning the examination and certification of 
teachers may be obtained from the examination handbook, published 
by the State Department of Education and furnished free on appli- 
cation. 

LIBRARIES. 

All classified high schools are required to have good working libra- 
ries. The minimum number of volumes required in high schools of 
the first class is 500 ; in high schools of the second class, 350 ; and in 
high schools of the third class, 250. These minimum numbers must 
not include books provided for elementary grades, duplicate copies of 
books for class use, bulletins and reports. 

A good encyclopedia should be included in every high school library. 
The best encyclopedia for high school use is one in which the articles 
are not extremely long and are not very technical. 

Those selecting books for high school libraries, particularly in small 
schools, are advised against purchasing extensive sets of books. In 



most such sets only a small amount of material is ever used. The 
money required to purchase them will he much more profitably ex- 
pended for single volumes that are really needed in the library. 

Substantial and attractive cases should be provided for the library, 
that will afford sufficient shelf room for all books the library contains. 
Books should not be placed in double rows on the shelves. 

The books in the library should be classified and arranged on the 
shelves according to a definite plan of classification. A library 
record should be kept that will show what authors are represented 
in the library, what books of each author are listed, and the shelf 
position occupied by each book. 

A definite system for the issuing and loaning of books should be 
followed. In smaller schools, one person, preferably a teacher, should 
be designated as librarian and held responsible for the care and use 
of the library. The plan of placing several pupils in charge of the 
library, adopted in some schools is not to be recommended. In 
schools having three hundred or more pupils a full-time librarian 
should be employed. 

It is usually best in ordering a number of books for the library 
at one time to place the entire order with a general dealer or jobber. 
Both money and time may be saved in this way. 

A list of books suggested for high school libraries is published by 
the State Department of Education in the Library Day Program 
issued by the State Department. Another very excellent list is con- 
tained in Bulletin No. 35 of the series of 1913, published by the 
United States Bureau of Education. This bulletin is entitled "A 
List of Books suited to a High School Library" and may be obtained 
for fifteen cents from the Superintendent of Documents, Washing- 
ton, D. C. 

It is not sufficient to meet the requirements of classification that a 
high school have a satisfactory library. The library must be used in 
the work of instruction by the various departments of the school. 

SCIENCE LABORATORIES AND THEIR EQUIPMENT. 

The science subjects taught in the high schools of the state are 
chemistry, physics, biology, botany, zoology, physical geography, agri- 
culture, hygiene and sanitation and domestic science. Of course, not 
all of these sciences are taught in every high school; in fact only a 
few high schools offer instruction in all of them. It is expected that 
at least one year's work in science will be offered in each two-year 
high school. This may be general science biology, physical geography, 
hygiene and sanitation or agriculture. Many two-year schools offer, 
two years in science. Three-year high schools are expected to offer 
a minimum of two years of science, and four-year high schools, a min- 
imum of three years. The State High School Manual should be con- 
sulted for suggestions with regard to the most suitable place in the 
course of study for each science subject and for the content of science 
courses. 



Cases and Tables. 

Laboratory desks or tables are needed for all science subjects. 
Types of laboratory desks and tables have become fairly well standard- 
ized and may be purchased from dealers or made from drawings by 
local carpenters or cabinet makers. Suitable cases shauld also be pro- 
vided for the care of science apparatus and supplies. Larger high 
schools will also have storage rooms for this purpose. 

High schools are cautioned against having laboratories in basement 
rooms that are mainly below ground. Such rooms are almost invari- 
ably damp and apparatus and supplies are quickly damaged by damp- 
ness. The lighting of such rooms is also usually unsatisfactory. 

Apparatus and Supplies. 

The following lists of apparatus are prescribed as the minimum 
equipment necessary for successful laboratory and demonstration 
work in physics, chemistry, biology and general science. It may be 
found necessary, however, to make some modifications in these lists 
to meet the requirements of the various textbooks and laboratory 
manuals used. Some of the articles listed can be, obtained locally 
or made by the teachers or the members of the class. These lists of 
ap]:)aratus are sufficient for a class of ten to fifteen. 

The cost of individual pieces of equipment is not given for the 
reason that the cost varies with the kind and quality of apparatus and 
supplies purchased and with different dealers. 

Physics 
MECHANICS 

3 spring balances, 250 g., flat back 

3 spring balances, 2000 g., flat back 

4 meter and yard sticks, combined 

4 celluloid rules 

1 vernier caliper 

2 hollow cylinders with glass cover 
1 inclined plane with pulley 

1 carriage for inclined plane 

1 set brass weights in block 

5 single pulleys 

2 double pulleys 

2 triple pulleys 

1 "composition of force" board 
1 set of "universal weights" (iron) 

3 equal-arm balances 

1 Boyle's Law apparatus 

1 set Magdeburg hemispheres 

1 apparatus for Archimedes' Principle 

1 Pascal's vases and apparatus 

2 specific gravity bottles, 50 cc. 

2 constant weight hydrometer tubes 



2 constant volume hydrometer tubes 
1 glass model of lift pump 

1 glass model of force pump 

1 aluminum wheel and axle 

1 Aneroid barometer 

1 air pump with mechanical valves 

1 barometer tube with glass cup and pipette for filling 

5 alcohol lamps (glass, 8 oz.) 

3 protractors (brass, 5% in.) 
15 ft. rubber tubing (% in.) 

2 lbs. mercury 

3 pendulum balls (iron, 1 in.) 

2 iron supports with rings 

3 clamp holders 

10 two-inch iron clamps 
2 lbs. lead shot 
1 metric chart 

SOUNiD 

1 set of four tuning forks 

1 sonometer and wires 

1 organ pipe with rod and light membrane 

1 violin bow 

1 Helmholts resonater 

1 siren disc (metal, 10 in.) 

LIGHT 

1 Hart's optical disc 

1 photometer— student's form 

1 set of six demonstration lenses (2 in.) 

1 set Newton's color discs 

1 direct vision spectroscope 

2 mirrors, concave and convex, 12 c. m. 
2 flint glass prisms (4 in.) 

1 set Newton's rings — a pair of lenses 1^ in. in diameter in brass 
frame 

6 standard candles 

HEAT 

2 set Linear expansion apparatus 
6 thermometers, 110 degrees C 

3 copper boilers and burners 
3 calorimeters (3 x 5) 

1 sectional model of steam engine 
1 distillation apparatus 

1 compound bar (steel and brass) 

MAGNETISM AND ELECTRICITY 

2 bar magnets (15 cm. long) 



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2 horselioe magnets 
2 electro magnets 

1 pound iron filings 
5 zinc strips 

5 copper strips 

5 tracing compasses 

2 Daniell cells 

Dry cells, (buy locally as needed) 
2 five ohm, resistance coils 
2 ten ohm, resistance coils 
2 vulcanite rods 
2 glass friction rods 
1 cat's skin 
12 pith balls 
1 compass 

1 galvanometer (Weston Instrument Company's Student type) 
1 electroscope 
1 static machine 
1 dissectable Leyden jar 
1 electrophorus 
1 Geissler tube 
1 plug resistance box 
1 electrolysis apparatus 
1 electric bell 

1 complete sounder and key on base 
1 induction coil (% inch spark) 
1 telephone transmitter 
1 telephone receiver (double pole) 
1 Model 280 Weston Ammeter, 0-3 and 0-30 amperes 

1 Model 280 Weston Volt meter, 0-3 and 0-30 volts 

2 Wheatstone bridges 
5 porus cups 

1 lb. concentrated sulphuric acid 
5 lbs. copper sulphate 

3 lbs. copper wire — ^No. 18 B. & S. Annunciator wire 
14 lb. German silver wire— No. 22 B. & S. 

MISCELLANEOUS 
1 rotater 

10 feet 1/4 in. antimony rubber tubing 
10 ft. 3-16 in. rubber tubing 

5 lbs. soft glass tubing assorted sizes 
1 gross corks, assorted sizes 

12 test tubes (% x 6) 
1 glass graduate (100 cc.) 

6 beakers (200 cc.) 

4 thistle tubes ' 
4 porcelain evaporating dishes (3 in.) 

1 glass funnel (4 in.) 



3 Florence flasks (flatbottom, 16 oz.) 

6 rubber stoppers (two holes) for 16 oz. Florence flasks 

1 gal. alcohol, denatured 

5 lbs. Sal ammoniac 

1 lb. Ether 

Chemistry 

The following apparatus should be supplied for the class in general: 

Copper wire gauze Magnifying glasses 

Platinum wire Retorts (255 cc) 

Lead dishes Burettes 

Weights Suliometers (100 cc.) 

Litmus paper Barometers 

Horn pan balances Thermometers 

Cork borers Widemouth bottles — 25cc to 150 cc. 

Asbestos gauze Cobalt glass 

Pipette — 20 cc Magnet 

Wood splinters Wool cloth — small pieces 

Rubber bands Cotton cloth — small pieces 

Each pupil should be supplied with the following appartus: 

5 reagent bottles 120 cc. Glass tubing 

4 plain beakers, assorted 1 Test tube rack 

1 graduated cylinder, 50 cc. 1 Porcelain crucible — 15 cc. 
3 German flasks, 500, 250 and 100 cc 1 Pipestem triangle 

1 Oxygen flask, 150 cc. 1 hard glass test tube — 5 x 5-8 

1 two-necked Woulff's flask 1 medicine dropper 

1 calcium chloride tube 1 triangle file — 5 in. 

12 specimen tubes 1 wing top for burner 

1 eight-inch test tube 12 test tubes 

1 sand bath 10 cm. Ithistle tube 
1 bunsen burner with rubber hose 1 brass blow pipe, 20 cm long 

1 small collar and clamp 1 wire candle holder 

1 gas cylinder 1 ground glass cover, 10 x 10 cm. 

1 pair of steel forceps 1 evaporating dish No. 4 

1 porcelain mortar and pestle 2 glass fullens, 8 cm. and 4 cm. 

25 cut filter papers 1 sheet drying paper 

1 ring stand and two rings 1 pneumatic trough 

2 rubber stoppers 1 deflagrating spoon 
1 wire test tube holder 25 corks, assorted 

1 watch glass 1 iron tripod 

Rubber tubing 

Chemicals : 
The quantity of each chemical needed will depen-^ upon the number 
in class. 

Acetic acid magnesium dioxide 

alcohol, ethyl marble chips 

alum mercury 



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aluminum wire and powder 

arsenic 

arsenic trioxide 

ammonium nitrate 

ammonium sulpliate 

ammonium sulphide 

antimony 

antimony chloride 

ammonium carbonate 

ammonia chloride 

ammonium hydroxide 

barium chloride 

barium nitrate 

barium sulphate 

bismuth 

bismuth chloride 

bismuth nitrate 

borax 

bleaching poM'der 

cadmium sulphate 

carbon disulphate 

calcium chloride, fused 

calcium chloride dry 

calcium fluoride 

carbon, charcoal and animal 

coal 
chloroform 
cobaltous chloride 
cobaltous nitrate 
copper, foil and turnings 
copper sulphate 
copper oxide, powder and wire 
chromic chloride 
cupric chloride 
eosin or acid green 
ether 

ferric chloride 
ferrous sulphate 
ferrous sulphide 
glycerine 
gypsum 

hydrochloric acid 
hydrogen peroxide 
hydrogen sulphide 
iodine 
iron filings 
lead 

'e?.d acetate 
Ip?6 nitrate 



mercuric chloride 
mercurous nitrate 
mercuric nitrate 
mercuric oxide, red 
nickelous nitrate 
nitric acid 
oxalic acid 
paraffin 

phosphorus, red and yellow 
phosphoric acid 
plaster of paris 
potassium bitartrate 
potassium bromide 
potassium chlorate 
potassium chromate 
potassium chloride 
potassium cyanide 
potassium dischomate 
potassium ferricyanide 
potassium ferrocyanide 
potassium hydroxide 
potassium iodide 
potassium, nitrate 
potassium perchlorate 
char- potassium permanganate 
potassium sulphate 
rosin 

salt, common 
silver, foil 
silver nitrate 
soda, common baking 
sodium 

sodium acetate 
sodium chloride 
sodium carbonate 
sodium hydroxide 
sodium nitrate 
sodium peroxide 
sodium sulphate 
stannic chloride 
stannous chloride 
strontium nitrate 
sugar, cane 
sugar, glucose 
sulphur 
sulphuric acid 
tartaric acid 
tartar emetic 



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lime tin 

litharge zinc, granulated 

magnesium wire zinc, sulphate 

magnesium sulphate 

Required Apparatus and Supplies for Biology 
Compound microscopes, at least one for each four pupils in the class 
Slide boxes 

Dissecting microscopes, one for each pupil 
Tripod magnifiers, one for each member of class 
Dissecting sets, one for each member of class 
Dissecting pans, one for each member of the class 

6 alcohol lamps (or Bunsen burners, if gas is used) 
6 chemical thermometers 
1 balance and weigt 
1 earthenware jar, 5 gallons 
12 wide-mouth Mason jars 
1 250 cc graduate 
1 2-gallon bell-jar 
24 test tubes, % x 6 
1 test tube rack 
1 glass funnel, 5 in. 
12 specimen slides 
6 ring stands with two rings and one clamp 
6 beakers, 220 cc 
12 watch glasses 
1 porcelain mortar and pestle 
6 porcelain evaporating dishes, 3 in. 
6 dropping bottles 
12 petre dishes 
12 large jelly tumblers 
12 feet rubber tubing 
12 soup plates 
12 saucers 
1 pound formaldehyde 
1 test tube brush 

A few chemicals will be needed which may be obtained from the 
chemical laboratory of from a local drag store. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 

A high school mav meet all of the foregoing requirements as to len,2rth 
of term, preparation of teachers and equipment and yet fail to satisfy 
ivWy the established standards of classification. A four-year high 
school may have a term of thirtv-six weeks, it may have a good library 
of five hundred volumes and well equipped science laboratories, and 
it mav have a sufficient number of teachers who have had the re- 
quired amount of scholastic preparation; and yet such a high school 
may fall far short of being a first-class high school. There are some 



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things that cannot be measured in terms as definite as can be used 
in measuring equipment, that are just as important in determining a 
high school's rank. 

Quality of Instruction. 

One of these things is the quality of the classroom instruction. A 
high school in which much of the instruction is noticeably poor and 
ineffective should not be ranked as a high school of the first class 
even if its equipment is of the best and all its teachers are college 
graduates. 

Organization. 

Some high schools do not merit first-class rank because they are 
poorly organized and their work is poorly directed. Organization is 
a term that is somewhat difficult to define; but it may be seen and 
judged in the teaching force, the arrangement of the program, the 
library and laboratories, the school activities, the janitor service 
and by other evidences that are sure to appear. 

The Spirit of the School. 

The spirit of a high school is also something that is not easily 
defined; and yet it manifests itself in numerous unmistakable ways. 
If, for example, the teachers are out of sympathy with their pupils, 
if the pupils are flippant and disrespectful in their attitude to- 
wards their teachers, if they come to class day after day with their 
lessons poorly prepared, and if they are lacking in school pride and 
in cooperation — the spirit of that school is undoubtedly bad. The 
spirit of a school is good when conditions the opposite of these pre- 
vail. The spirit of a school has much to do with the quality of its 
work and is, therefore, taken into consideration in its inspection 
and classification. 

HIGH SCHOOL INSPECTION. 

The law holds the state superintendent of schools responsible for 
the inspection and classification of high schools and for the purpose of 
discharging this responsibility he appoints a supervisor of high 
schools and an assistant supervisor of high schools whose duty it is to 
visit and inspect the high schools of the state and make reports to him 
concerning their condition. The classification of high schools is 
based upon the reports of these supervisors and upon the annual reports 
sent to the State Department of Education by high school principals. 

STATE AID. 

The law requiring the classification of the high schools of the state 
also authorizes the distribution of state aid to classified high schools. 
The maximum amounts that may be apportioned to such schools are 
as follows: 

To high schools of the first class $800 

To high schools of the second class 600 

To high schools of the third class 400 



13 

An additional apportionment of $1,000 is authorized for each of 
twenty high schools maintaining normal training departments ap- 
proved by the State Board of Education. 

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Section eighty-five of the school law authorizes boards of education 
to establish intermediate schools, or junior high schools, and makes 
it the duty of the State Board of Education to prescribe courses of 
study and regulations for such schools. 

In compliance with the above requirement of law, the State Board 
of Education has announced the following requirements for junior 
high schools : 

Definition — A junior high school shall be understood to include 
the seventh, eight and ninth (formerly first-year high school) grades 
organized as a distinct school unit. 

Teachers — ^Number of — At least two teachers shall be employed who 
give their full time to the teaching of junior high school subjects. 

Teachers — Qualification — All teachers employed in junior high schools 
shall, as a minimum qualification, be graduates of standard normal 
schools, or shall have completed normal school or college work 
that is the full equivalent of such graduation. 

Length of Term — The minimum term in approved junior high schools 
shall be thirty-six weeks. 

Class periods — The minimum class period in approved junior high 
schools shall be forty-five minutes. 

Libraries — All approved junior high schools shall have libraries con- 
taining at least 250 well selected volumes and shall have adequate 
and suitable cases for their protection and classification. 

Laboratory Equipment — All approved junior high schools shall have 
furniture, apparatus and supplies sufficient for the teaching of gen- 
eral science or industrial subjects for which credit is asked. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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